1. Technical Field
The technology of this disclosure pertains generally to mechanically integrating plastic components with other components, and more particularly to reinforcing adhered joints between plastic components and other components.
2. Background Discussion
The use of rubber, silicone, and other plastic compounds to make molds for various engineering applications is a rapidly growing industry. The flexibility and tensile strength of silicone and rubber compounds are desired qualities for many applications, including designing and building three-dimensional (3D) molds with precise structural features. However, a common occurrence is that silicone molded units must be combined either with other silicone or plastic molded products or with structural components made of metals or other materials. In these cases, it is necessary to mechanically integrate various components using adhesive compounds. The use of adhesives to join two pieces of plastic material or a plastic and a non-plastic component may be sufficient for many practical applications. However, in several circumstances, the mechanical strength of the adhesive per unit of joint area is insufficient and often the contact area is subject to deterioration from external manipulation.
The standard method to ensure gas or liquid tightness in plastic molds with circulating fluids is to manufacture them as a single piece using standard molding procedures. However, due to the complexity of some integrated designs or the need to use different types of materials, it becomes necessary to use adhesives to join various parts. How to ensure mechanically stable joints that are subject to either stresses inherent to their function (e.g. pressurized joints) or to external manipulation, is an outstanding and unresolved issue in the industry. Though the adhesive industry has made great progress in offering a wide range of compounds with excellent properties to adhere joints that are gas or liquid tight, a serious problem is that the resistance to pressurization is often quite limited.